Shifting device for printing mechanisms.



No. 749,259. PATENTED NOV. s, 1903.

, e. W; DONNING. V SHIPTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED I' B. 10 1903. N0 MODEL. E y 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M11 gumisu l I INVENTOR,

George WDonnin No. 743,259. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

G. W. DONNING. SHIFTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MECHANISM.

M MODEL. APPLICATION FILED mm. 10, 1903. 4 snmksum 2' INVENTOR, I George Donnz'ny,

ma NORRIS vsnzns coy. Pnoruunis wnsumm'on, a c.

No. 743,259. Q PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903. G. W. DONNING.

SHIF IING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1903. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'mnull WITNESSES:

aims v,

. INVENTOR,

Gborye WDonn-zny,

7018 Mama PATENTBD NOV. 3, 1903.

G. W. DONNING.

SHIFTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION 1 FEB. 10 1903. Y N0 MODEL. ILED 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

[NIZENTO 0001376 WDonn ing 'ro-umu, WASHINGTON u c I Io. 743,255.

UNiTED STATES.

Patented 1\Iovember 3, 1903'.

PATENT Ounce.

GEORGE W. DONNING, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF TO HARRY T. AMBROSE, OF ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SHIFTINGDEVICE FOR PRINTING MECHANISMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,259, dated November 3, 1903.

. Application filed February 10, 1903. Serial No. 142.789. (N0 model.)

useful Improvements'in Shifting Devices for Printing Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved form of shifting means in which a shiftable device may be set in a plurality of positions, and which when set'in anyone of a certain number of positions can be shifted to any of the other positions by certain actuating means, and which shifting means will automatically return to the said set position when the actuating means is released.

A further object of the invention is to provide in writing-machines, in connection with the type-carrying member thereof, (type-bar, type-wheel, or type-plate,) means by which such type-carrying member is rocked to position any of the plurality of characters carried bv it. I

A further object is to provide a yieldinglyadjustable member which in cooperation with shifting levers and mechanism constitutes an indicator or index of the adjusted position of said shifting mechanism by pointing to that particular shifting-lever whose operation would eifect a similar positioning of the shifting mechanism.

A further object is to provide means for locking or retaining the adjustable member at any of the adjusted positions.

The invention is especially designed for a type-writing machine in which the type-carrying device carries'a plurality of characters and where relative position of the type on each key to the printing-surface must be changed in order to print the different characters carried by the said device.

. .With these objects in view and other objects my invention consists of the constructions, combinations, and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this application,and in which similar reference-sym-' 7 show the shift-key levers.

shows the rock-arms.

. rights F bols indicate corresponding parts in the several views, Figurel is a side elevation of the type-writer. Fig. 2 is a detail view of parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the type-bars with their shifting mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the semiring supporting means. Figs. 5, 6, and Fig. 8 shows a modified form of the parts shown in Fig. 1. 6o

Fig. 9 is a detail front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows part of the yieldable shifting means. Fig. l1 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 10. Fig. 12

Fig. 13 is an elevation of another form of yieldable shifting means. Fig. 14 is a view of the form shown in Fig. 13 from the opposite side. Figs. 15, 16, and 17 show theshift-key levers and connected parts in their several positions. Fig. 18 shows the lever carrying the notched link in two elevations. Fig. 19 shows the cam-link. Fig. 20 shows the link-carrying lever. Fig. 21 shows a detail of the slotted adjust-lever. Fig. 22 shows the latter lever from the opposite side. Figs. 23, 24, and 25 show the lockingmeans for the adjust-lever; and Figs. 26 and 27 show the shift-levers and rock-arms in difierent positions.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 11, A, B, and C represent three shift-key levers that may have a common pivotal axis A. Retractile springs A A -A serve to return these levers when depressed. A rock-shaft 8 D serves to operate any preferred form of shiftable device. I have shown it as operating a movable type-head carrying a plurality. of characters, the type-bars E each carrying a pivoted head E that is controlled bya 9o lever E havingan extension or tail piece E". A semiring F is guided in slots F in up- Rods or hangers F connect the semiring F with a semicircular supportingstrip F with which connects a bar F This 5 bar is supported by one or more arms F pivoted on a transverse rod F The rock-shaft D has a crank D connected to' the arm F Consequently when the shaft D is rocked the semiring F will be raised and lowered. When too the semiring is in the lowermost position, it does not engage the extension or tail piece E but when it is raised in the slot F it lies in the path of this extension and when the keybar is operated will change the position of the type head according to the distance it is raised. I have in this instance provided three characters on the type-head. When the semiring is in the lower position, one of the charactors will print. When the semiring is in the intermediate position, another character will. print, and when the semiring is in the upper position the other or third type will be brought into operating position when depressed. Preferably the lower position will be the normal position, causing the machine to print the lower case. The intermediate position will cause capitals to be printed, and the upper position of the semiring will bring the numerals or puuctuations into use.

One means of rocking the shaft D to bring the semiring to these three positions is shown in Figs. 1 to 7. On the shaft D is secured a rock-lever having the two arms D D. The arm D carries a stud d, having a frictionroller thereon. The arm D carries studs d? and (1 each having a friction-roller thereon. These latter studs are all arranged in alinement with the shift-levers A, B, and C. The lever A has a lug a arranged to strike the stud 61 when this lever is depressed. The lever B hasa lug 1) arranged to engage the stud d. This lever also has a lug b arranged to engage the stud (i The lever G has a lugc arranged to engage the lug (P. The levers A, B, and C have lugs a 19 and c respectively, each of which is arranged to strike the rock-shaft D, and thereby limit the downward movement of the levers.

The rock-lever is so secured to the rockshaft D that when the semiring is in the lower position its arms D D will he in the position shownin Fig. 1. When these arms aresubstantially horizontal, as shown in Fig. 26, the semiring will be in the intermediate position, and when the arms are in the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 26 the semiring is in the upper positionf The lugs a and a are of such a length that.

' if the rock-lever is in either of the positions shown in Fig. 26 or Fig. 27 upon depressing the shift-leverA the lug a will engage the stud d and rock the shaft D to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 26, whereupon the lug a will strike the shaft D and limit themovement of the shift-lever A. As before described, this will raise the semiring to its upper position, causing the machine to print numerals.

The lugs 17 and b are so proportioned that if the rock-lever is in the position of Fig. 27 the lug b will engage the stud d and rock the shaft D until it is in the horizontal position, when the lug b will impinge upon the shaft D, limiting its movement, thus raising the semiring to the intermediate position and causing capitals to be printed; but should the rock-lever be in the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 26 and the lever B be depressed the lug b will strike the stud d and the shaft will be rocked to the position indicated in Fig. 27, when the lug b impinging upon the rock-shaft D, will limit the further movement of the lever. This will serve to bring the rock-lever to the horizontal position and cause the machine to print capitals. It will thus be noticed that this lever will move the semiring from'either of the extreme positions to the intermediate position, and the lugs c and 0 are of such length that if the rock-lever is in either of the positions indicated in Fig. 26 on the lever 0 being depressed the lug 0 will strike the pin (1 and move the arms until they are in the position indicated in Fig. 27, when the lug 0 will impinge upon the rock-shaft. The lever 0 thus serves to return the semiring to the lower position to print lower case when it has been moved to either of the other positions.

Thelugs a, b and b and c constitute, respectively, independent shifting means, and the lugs a 6 and c constitute stop devices for limiting the depression of the shift-levers.

In order to adjust the rock-shaft in either of the three positions and at the same time yieldably retain it in each position, so that it may be moved from any of the adjusted positions to either of the other positions by the shift-keys just described, and yet will automatically return to the adjusted position upon the key being released, I have provided one form of means, as indicated in Fig. 1. An adjusting-lever H is pivoted on a screw it and extends out soas to be moved in positions opposite the keys on the extremities of either of the levers A, B, or O. Stop-pins k and 7t3 limit the movement of the lever in either direction. A pin k on the lever engages the side of the machine at holes h, 71 and W, at which positions the lever is temporarily locked opposite one of the levers A, B, and O, respectively, whereby there is thus produced in connection and cooperating with the said shifting mechanism an indicator or index of the adjusted position of the shifting mechanism by pointing to the particular lever whose operation would effect such adjustment. For instance, if the adjusting-lever points to the Fig. shift-keyit indicates that figures and pu nctuation-marks will be printed. When pointing to the Oap.shift-key, it indicates operation in capitals, and when pointing to the lower-case key it indicates normal position or for lower-case letters.

On the lever H are pivoted at h bent 1evers or detents H and H whose opposing extremities are connected by a spring H that tends to hold them against the screw h. A

crank-arm H is secured to the rock-shaft D "H is moved in either direction, the crank H will be rocked in the opposite direction, and it will be understood from the foregoing that when the lever H is moved to a position opposite either of the shift-keys the shaft D will be rocked and the semiring shifted to a corresponding position. Upon depression of the key A when the lever H'is in its lowest position the crankarm H will be rocked downward and its pin H will force the bent lever H away from bearing on the screw h, as shown in Fig. 2. This will put the spring I-l under tension, as the lever H is prevented from moving by the screw it, and when the key A is released the spring H will cause the lever H to move back against the screw it, which will rock the arm H upward, and thus through the rock-shaft move the semiring to its former position. If the shift key B be depressed when the adj ust-lever is in its lowest position, the arm H and lever H will be moved as just described, but not as far, since the shaft D is not rocked as much as when the keyA was depressed, and

key B will be returned when released. Again,

it the adjust-lever be set-in the intermediate position and the shift-key A be depressed the arm H and lever H will be moved as in the last instance and this key returned when released; but if the shift-key C is depressed while the adj ust-lever is in this position the arm H will be moved upward, which will result inltbe pin H forcing the lever 11 upward, while the arm H will remain in contact with the pin it, putting the spring l-I again under tension, that will return the key 0 and semiring to the adjusted interme diate position when the key is released. Fi-

nally, if the adjust-lever is moved to its upper position and the shift-keyB is depressed the arm H and lever H will be given the same movement as just described, putting the spring again under tension, which will return this key and semiring to the adjusted position, and if theshift-key C is depressed while the adjust-lever is in this position then the arm H and lever H will be moved as just described, but to a greater distance, and upon this key being released it and the semiring will be returned to the said adjusted position by the spring.

A modification of the yieldable adjusting means just describedis shown in Figs. 8 to 12. Here an adjust lever K is pivoted onto the rock-shaft D. Two bent levers K K are pivoted on the lever K similar to the levers H H Their opposite ends are held by a spring K against a pin K 'on an arm K se-' cured to the shaft D. It will be observed that the arm K does not extend toward the adjust-lever, but in the opposite direction. Hence when the lever K is in the lower position, as shown in Fig. 8, the semiring will be set in the upper position and the machine will print figures, and when the adjust-lever is in the upper position the machine will print lower case; otherwise the operation of the arms K K and spring K is the same as the parts shown in Fig. 1. Indicating-lugs stop M and arranged to engage the stud L when the arm L is in position to cause the semiring to be in either its upper position, as shown in Fig. 17, or in its intermediary position, as shown in Fig. 15, and swing the arm L into the position shown in Fig. 16, thereby rocking the shaft D to lower the semiring in its lower position for printing lower-case characters. The lever N is provided with two cam-faces N N so arranged that when the arm is either in the position of Fig. 16 or that of Fig. 17, with the semiring set to print either lower case or numerals, the cam will strike the stud L and force the arm to the position indicated in Fig. 15, and the semiring will be moved to the intermediate position. The third lever, P, has a cam-surface P limited by a stop P and so arranged that when the arm L is in either the position of Fig. 15 or Fig. 16 the cam will engage the stud L and move the arm to the position indicated in Fig. 17, thus shifting the semiring from either its intermediate or lowerposition to the upper position,in which numerals will be printed.

For'the purpose of adjusting the arm L in either of the three positions and yieldingly retaining it in this position I have provided a link R, pivoted by screw 7' to a lever S, that is pivoted ona pin S The link R has two camsurfacesR R in the angle of which the stud L is yieldingly retained bya retractile spring T, connecting said link R with the lever S near its axis. A leverV is pivoted at V and has a cam-slot V which engages the screw r. When the lever V is in alinement with the key end of lever N, the arm L will be in the middle position, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. When the lever V is moved up in alinement with the end of lever M, the lever S will be moved forward and also the link R, which will rock the arm L to the position indicated in Fig. 16, and it thelever Vis moved to its upper position the lever S and link R will move rearward and the arm Lwill be moved to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 17. Now if the arm L is in the position shown in Fig. 13 and the shift-lever M is depressed the camsurface M will engage the stud L and rock the arm L forward. This movement of the arm L will cause the-stud L to engage the cam-surface R and rock the link R upward on the screw 1 and will extend the spring T, putting it under still greater tension. Upon the key-lever being released the spring will 70, W, and 7.2 are disposed in alinement with l cause the cam R to force the stud to its normal position in the angle of the cams R R while if the lever P is depressed and the arm L moved to the position shown in Fig. 17 the stud L will engage the cam R ,which will also rock the link R and extend the spring T, and upon this key being released the cam R will return the arm L to its set position, as before. When the lever V is set in the upper position, the link will be set to normally retain the arm L in the position shown in Fig. 17. Upon depressing either the lever M or N the cam M or cam N will engage the stud L and raise the link R, and upon the release of these keys the spring will cause the cam R to return the arm L to the adjusted position. Should the lever V be set in the lower position, the link will be moved normally to retain the arm L in the position shown in Fig. 16, and upon either the lever P or the lever N being depressed the cam P or cam N will engage the stud L and raise the link R, and upon the release of the levers the spring T will cause the cam R to return the arm L to its adjusted position. To look the lever in its three positions of adjustment, the lever V is notched or countersunk at V V and V The screw 1' has a conical portion r that is forced into the notches V V V by a platespring r secured to the screw 7' by a screw 1'.

In the modified form it is obvious that the selecting lugs or projections on the lower edges of the shifting-levers of the principal construction (illustrated in Figs. 1 to 12, inclusive) find counterpart in the cam-lugs in the construction of Figs. 13 to 27, wherein the lugs are simply brought nearer together and turned to present their working face to operate on opposite sides of a single arm, which takes the place of the two opposinglyextending arms in the first form.

It is to be understood that the improved shifting mechanism herein shown and described has application in all situations where it is necessary to shift and lock a movable part and then temporarily return it to its normal position or shift to a third position, so that when operation is completed there it will automatically return, say, to the second position, to which it has been shifted and locked. Therefore it may be employed in round-platen type-writers wherein the typebar remains at a fixed fulcrum-point and a shiftable platen-carrier is operated by a transverse vibratory rod connecting therewith, in

which form it may be desirable to shift the platen-carrier for printing a capital letter or figure or other character; furthermore, in writing-machines wherein a type-wheel is employed and which is to be shifted for different kinds of printing; furthermore, in machines wherein the type-bars are housed within a shiftable basket and the platen is stationary. It is also to be understood that I may utilize other means than those described and shown and yet be within the spirit of my invention, which is to provide a.

device for shifting a shiftable or vibratory part and while shifted to lock it there temporarily and yet in such manner that should it be desired, the shiftable part may be moved to a first or' third position temporarily and normally held there until released, when the shiftable part will return to its locked position, wherever that might be.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, a plurality of shifting means, each constructed to shift said device into one of its positions, and adjusting means constructed and arranged to adjust and yield ingly retain said device in any of its several positions, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, a plurality of shifting means, each constructed to shift said device into one of its positions, and adjusting means constructed andarranged to adjustand yieldingly retain said device in any of .its several positions and to return said device to its adjusted position from any of the other several positions into which said device may be shifted, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, a plurality of shifting means, each constructed to shift said device into one of its positions, and adjusting means constructed and arranged to adjust and yieldingly retain said device in any of its several positions and to automatically return said device to its adjusted position from any of the other several positions into which said device may be shifted, substantially as described. 7 4. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, an independent shifting means controlling each of such plurality of positions, each shifting means constructed to shift said device from the positions controlled by any other of said shifting means, and adjusting means constructed and arranged to adjust and yieldingly retain said device in any of its several positions, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, an independent shifting means controlling each of such plurality of positions, each shifting means constructed to shift said device from the positions controlled by any other of said shifting means, and adjusting means constructed and arranged to adjust and yieldingly retain said device in any of its several positions and to return said device to its adjusted position from any of the other several positions into which said device may be shifted, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, an independent shift- 3 to return it therefrom, substantially as deing meanscontrolling each of such plurality of positions, each shifting means constructed to shift said device from the positions controlled by any other of said shifting means, and adjusting means constructed and arranged to adjust and yieldingly retain said device in any of its several positions and to antomatically return said device to its adjusted position from any of the other several positions into which said device may be shifted, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a shiftable device arranged to be shifted to a plurality of positions, a plurality of shifting means therefor, and an adjusting means constructed to adjust said device in with said shifting means to indicate the position of said shift-able device, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, a lever operating through intermediary connectionsto rock said rock-shaft and arranged to adjust it in a plurality of positions, engaging means carried by said rock-shaft, an independent shifting means controlling each of such plurality of positions, each shifting means constructed to actuate said engaging means from the positions controlled bythe other several shifting means, and a plurality of shift-levers constructed each to actuate one of said shifting means, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, a lever operating through intermediary connections to rock said rock-shaft into a plurality of positions, engaging means carried by said rock-shaft, an independent shifting means controlling each of such plurality of positions, each shifting means constructed to actuate said engaging means from the positions cont-rolled by the other several shifting means, a plurality of shift-levers constructed each to actuate one of said shifting means, and means carried by said shift-levers to limit their movement, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, means constructed to rock said rock-shaft to a plurality of positions, engaging means carried by said rockshaft, an independent shifting means controlling each of such plurality of positions, each shifting means constructed to actuate said engaging means from the positions controlled by the other several shifting means,

and a plurality of shift-levers constructed each to actuate one of said shifting means, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, a lever arranged to ad-' scribed.

12. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, an adjust-lever arranged to rock the shaft and set it in a series of positions, a number of shift-levers each arranged to rock the shaft and move it to one of said positions when the shaft has been set in any of the other said positions by the adjust-lever, the adjusting member and the shifting members cooperating to indicate the position of the rock-shaft, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, an arm secured to the shaft, an adj ust-lever, a resilient connection between the armand lever arranged to cause the lever to set the shaft in a series of positions, a number of shift-levers, lugs on the shift-levers, a rock-lever on the r0ck-shaft, studs on said rock-lever and arranged to be engaged by the lugs of the shift-levers, said lugs and studs being arranged to cause each of said levers, when depressed, to rock the shaft and move it to one of said positions when set in any of the other positionsby said adjust-lever, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, an arm secured to the shaft, an adjust-lever, a resilient connection between the arm and lever arranged to cause i the lever to set the shaft in a series of positions, a number of shift-levers, lugs on the shift-levers, a rock-lever on the rock-shaft, studs on said rock-lever and arranged to be engaged by the lugs on the shift-levers, said lugs and. studs being arranged to cause each of these shift-levers, when depressed, to rock the shaft and move it to one of said positions when set in any of the other positions by said adjust-lever, and a lug on each shift-lever ar ranged to strike the rock-shaft and limit the depression of the lever, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a printing mechanism, ofa rock-shaft, an adj ust-lever, an arm secured to the shaft,a resilient connection between the arm and lever arranged to cause the lever to move the shaft to each of three positions,a rock-leter on the rock-shaft, studs on said rock-lever, a shifting-lever having a lug arranged to engage one of said studs and rock the shaft to one of said positions when the shaft has been set in either of the other positions, a second shift-lever having a lug arranged to engage one of said studs and rock the shaft to another of said positions when set in either of the other positions, and a third shift-lever having a lug arranged to engage one of said studs when the shaft .has been set by the said first-mentioned shift-lever and rock it to a position intermediate of the position set by the said levers, the said third shift-lever having anotherlug arranged to engage one of said studs when the shaft has been set by the said second lever and rock the shaft to said intermediate position, substantially as described.

16. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, a pin, an adj ust-lever pivoted on the pin, a pair of levers pivoted on the adjust-lever and extending on opposite sides of said pin, a spring connecting said latter levers and arranged to normally retain them in contact with the pin, an arm on the rock-shaft, a pin on said arm arranged to lie between adjacent ends of said pair of levers and in engagement therewith, substantially as described.

17. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, a pin, an adj ust-lever pivoted on the pin, means for locking the lever in a series of positions, a pair of levers pivoted on the adjust-lever and extending on opposite sides of the pin, a spring connecting said latter levers and arranged to normally retain them in engagement with said pin, an arm on the rock-shaft, a pin on said arm arranged to lie between the adjacent ends of said pair of levers and in engagement therewith, a series of levers constructed to rock the shaft and moveit to aseries of positions, substantially as described.

18. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock'shaft, a pin, an adjust-lever pivoted on the pin and arranged to be locked in a series of positions, a pair of levers pivoted on the adjust-lever and extending on opposite sides of the pin, a spring connecting said latter levers and arranged normally to retain them in engagement with the pin, an arm on the rock-shaft, a pin on said arm arranged to lie between the adjacent parts of the said pair of levers and in engagement therewith, a series of levers constructed respectively to rock the shaft and move it to the same positions to which moved by said adj ust-lever, substantially as described.

19. The combination with a printing mechanism, of a rock-shaft, an adjust-lever arranged to rock the shaft and set it in a series of positions, a number of shift-levers each arranged to rock the shaft and move it to one of said positions when the shaft has been set in the other positions by the adjust-lever, the adjust-lever being arranged to cooperate with said shift-levers to indicate the position of the rock-shaft, and means for automatically returning the shaft to any of its adjusted positions when moved therefrom-by any of the said shift-levers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. DONNING.

Witnesses:

ANDREW W. STEIGER, JOHN R. WILTSER. 

